Personality Analysis
In the ancient world, there was a philosophy that the best reputation a woman could have was no reputation at all. If no one spoke of her, no one gossiped about her, no one saw her, then she was deemed a 'good girl.' This philosophy, however, meant that Cassandra was doomed from the start to be perceived as a 'bad girl.' From an early age, favored by her father, Cassandra developed a penchant for going where she was not supposed to be and saying what she was not supposed to say with no one to tell her otherwise, since her father allowed it. While other girls her age were trapped behind the closed doors of the harem, learning to weave and care for children, Cassandra was allowed into the world of men, where she sat on her father's knee and learned about politics and drinking games. More importantly, she developed a sense of entitlement, a belief that she was not bound by the same rules of society as everyone else. This became the origin of every facet of her personality, in one way or another.
Granted freedom that girls were not supposed to enjoy, Cassandra developed an insatiable curiosity about the greater world around her. She has a deep love of stories and novelty. She has a drive to learn everything about everything and everyone. And, as something of a social pariah, she's developed a special knack for reading people. Often ignored, later in life, she's been given plenty of opportunities to observe people who do not change their behavior due to her presence. She can read body language and interpret ticks and tricks of speech.
For all she loves reading other people, however, Cassandra very rarely lets anyone see the truth about her. Since she is free of the restraints of society--in her mind--she frequently enjoys engaging in playacting. Always being known as an insane woman, Cassandra hates to disappoint the leering crowds. She relishes any chance she can get to hiss and spit and sway back and forth, pretending to seize. She plays the part for all she's worth in an effort to push people away from her. Sometimes, she'll even smear ash and soot on herself, to physically push them away. After all, if no one an get close to her, then no one can hurt her or betray her. And given that she lives in the midst of a war that she knows her people cannot win, it's inevitable that she'll always be both hurt and betrayed.
Going hand-in-hand with both her entitlement and her desire to play up the role of lunatic, Cassandra is very sharp-tongued. She says what she wants, when she wants, without any concern for diplomacy. She has a biting wit and, unlike the 'good girls' of Priam's palace, she has an understanding of the outside world to back it up. Had she been born a boy, she would have made an excellent diplomat or philosopher. But then again, if she'd been born a boy, her perceived entitlement would likely have been real entitlement.
Of course, if she'd been born a boy, her gift of prophecy--had it come about at all--would have gained her immense popularity. As a girl, Cassandra hides a deep longing to be believed. Because of this, and in spite of her reputation, Casandra still spouts prophecy. Buried deep beneath her anger and resentment and bitterness, hidden within her act, is a desperate sense of hope.
Feeding this hope is her odd relationship with Helen. As a half-immortal, Helen is the only person in Cassandra's life capable of genuinely believing her prophecies. Because of this, Helen can also see through Cassandra's disguise. The women aren't friends, but Helen is one of the few people Cassandra's ever been able to have a real conversation with, as herself rather than the lunatic.
Unfortunately, Cassandra sometimes has difficulties telling where her act ends and she begins, a problem which has cost her, on more than one occasion, the opportunity for genuine friendship and love. Having been called a lunatic so many times, she has started to believe the things people say of her. One terrible consequence of this game that Cassandra must constantly deal with is aphephobia--fear of being touched. She is aware of her condition and fights against it, but generally speaking, physical contact is extremely unwelcome, especially from a stranger and especially from men. When unwelcome contact is made, she'll play up her madwoman role to an extreme, or else try to lash out physically at the person making the contact.
The loss of Othryoneus, her fiancé, was a devastating blow to Cassandra, leaving her a bit indifferent to her own life. She also views love as a thoroughly futile thing. Owing, in large part, to her relationship with Helen, she enjoys mocking those who laud love, but this is mostly because of her own poor experiences, coupled with a constant, throbbing loneliness that never seems to ebb.
Granted freedom that girls were not supposed to enjoy, Cassandra developed an insatiable curiosity about the greater world around her. She has a deep love of stories and novelty. She has a drive to learn everything about everything and everyone. And, as something of a social pariah, she's developed a special knack for reading people. Often ignored, later in life, she's been given plenty of opportunities to observe people who do not change their behavior due to her presence. She can read body language and interpret ticks and tricks of speech.
For all she loves reading other people, however, Cassandra very rarely lets anyone see the truth about her. Since she is free of the restraints of society--in her mind--she frequently enjoys engaging in playacting. Always being known as an insane woman, Cassandra hates to disappoint the leering crowds. She relishes any chance she can get to hiss and spit and sway back and forth, pretending to seize. She plays the part for all she's worth in an effort to push people away from her. Sometimes, she'll even smear ash and soot on herself, to physically push them away. After all, if no one an get close to her, then no one can hurt her or betray her. And given that she lives in the midst of a war that she knows her people cannot win, it's inevitable that she'll always be both hurt and betrayed.
Going hand-in-hand with both her entitlement and her desire to play up the role of lunatic, Cassandra is very sharp-tongued. She says what she wants, when she wants, without any concern for diplomacy. She has a biting wit and, unlike the 'good girls' of Priam's palace, she has an understanding of the outside world to back it up. Had she been born a boy, she would have made an excellent diplomat or philosopher. But then again, if she'd been born a boy, her perceived entitlement would likely have been real entitlement.
Of course, if she'd been born a boy, her gift of prophecy--had it come about at all--would have gained her immense popularity. As a girl, Cassandra hides a deep longing to be believed. Because of this, and in spite of her reputation, Casandra still spouts prophecy. Buried deep beneath her anger and resentment and bitterness, hidden within her act, is a desperate sense of hope.
Feeding this hope is her odd relationship with Helen. As a half-immortal, Helen is the only person in Cassandra's life capable of genuinely believing her prophecies. Because of this, Helen can also see through Cassandra's disguise. The women aren't friends, but Helen is one of the few people Cassandra's ever been able to have a real conversation with, as herself rather than the lunatic.
Unfortunately, Cassandra sometimes has difficulties telling where her act ends and she begins, a problem which has cost her, on more than one occasion, the opportunity for genuine friendship and love. Having been called a lunatic so many times, she has started to believe the things people say of her. One terrible consequence of this game that Cassandra must constantly deal with is aphephobia--fear of being touched. She is aware of her condition and fights against it, but generally speaking, physical contact is extremely unwelcome, especially from a stranger and especially from men. When unwelcome contact is made, she'll play up her madwoman role to an extreme, or else try to lash out physically at the person making the contact.
The loss of Othryoneus, her fiancé, was a devastating blow to Cassandra, leaving her a bit indifferent to her own life. She also views love as a thoroughly futile thing. Owing, in large part, to her relationship with Helen, she enjoys mocking those who laud love, but this is mostly because of her own poor experiences, coupled with a constant, throbbing loneliness that never seems to ebb.